Chapter 188
After securing Livia's safety,
I immediately headed to another battlefield.
Specifically, the Central Battlefield, where the fiercest fighting was currently taking place.
There, Kyle, the Leader of the Cult Order, was fighting desperately. From his appearance alone, it was clear the battle was intense.
However, this time, I merely watched.
I didn't feel the need to join the fight.
I was a bit tired from fighting for so long... And as I'd guessed when Livia cried out earlier, there seemed to be some kind of bond between her and Kyle.
Indeed, as if confirming my suspicion, Livia was looking at Kyle with a very worried expression. It seemed she wanted to ask me for help, but perhaps knowing her place, she couldn't bring herself to ask.
Of course, I had no particular intention of helping him.
I had done my part by securing Livia's safety.
I couldn't just randomly save someone I'd never met before, especially the Leader of a Cult Order. Still, I was curious, so I asked Livia.
You've been looking at him so worriedly since earlier... Is that the Benefactor you mentioned? U-uh, yeah... He's like a father to me...
She said, looking anxiously at the Battlefield.
It made sense. I'd heard before that her Benefactor had saved her and even taught her Magic. He was even very kind and treated her almost like his own daughter.
*“Hmm.”*
Honestly, it was unexpected. It wasn't the image I had for the Leader of a Cult Order.
This naturally piqued my curiosity.
“How did that Human end up founding the Lemegeton?”
Why did he cast aside the title of Sage and hide himself in the shadows?
His motives were incredibly intriguing.
So, I asked Livia again.
Why did that person create this Group? Have you heard anything about that?
Livia nodded slightly at my question.
Yeah, he always used to tell me, as if giving advice...
And then she began her story...
*
Six hundred years ago, a Demon fell from the night sky. It's a widely known story.
It was the First Demon. That Demon, fallen from the night sky, massacred countless People and later became known as Decarabia, the 69th Demon.
Four hundred years after that, Hagenti, the 48th Demon, appeared.
Then, 150 years ago, Belial, the 68th Demon, appeared and massacred tens of thousands of People.
After that, the cycle of Demon appearances grew shorter and shorter. Recently, Demons have been appearing almost every few months.
It was a situation where anyone could see the world was falling into chaos. Everyone knew something was going terribly wrong, but Livia asked a question from a completely unexpected angle.
“Don't you think it's strange, when you think about it?” “What is?” “The Demons. Every time they appear, we know their names and ranks.”
The fact that we know the Demons' names so naturally.
If you think about it, the demons' names have been known as if it were obvious, from Decarabia, the first Demon to appear. Of course, there was a reason that came to mind.
Isn't it because those Demons habitually blurt out their ranks and names?
As if it somehow benefited them. Livia nodded, as if not denying it.
But even considering that, isn't it still strange? From the beginning, our Lemegeton knew information about Demons even before they descended. That's true...
That was certainly curious.
They always seemed to know about the King of the Demon Realm or the Demons' abilities beforehand.
How on earth was that possible...? Where did they get that information...?
The reason Livia gave was simple.
“It's thanks to a certain book.” “A book?” “Yeah, a Book Not of This World.”
She said that books that seem to be from the Demon Realm sometimes appear in the World. With covers made of some kind of hide, and spines lined with many teeth. Books that looked utterly grotesque.
"They contain information about all kinds of Demons, and stories proclaiming the end... Armageddon.""Arma... what?""I don't know exactly. I haven't seen it myself..."
The reason she hadn't seen it herself was simple. If someone confirmed its existence, the book would vanish instantly. , as if it had fulfilled its minimal role.
Perhaps because of this, most people didn't even know such books existed.
A book that appears out of nowhere and vanishes like a mirage is no different from an illusion.
Moreover, anyone who babbled about seeing such a book would surely be dismissed as a madman.
And Kyle is someone who has seen that book.
That would be true even if the messenger were a Sage.
*“Is that why...?”*
From there, I could roughly guess what happened. I'd already heard the rest.
The person who saw the book must have preached to the People. That if things continued like this, the end would come; so, they should bow to the Demons and at least preserve their lives.
But no one took him seriously, so he eventually founded the Lemegeton, wielding the doomsday prophecy that Sephiroth and Livia had heard ad nauseam.
Honestly, it was a hard fact to believe.
“What kind of book like that even exists?”
A book that suddenly appears and then vanishes once you've read it all. I didn't know why such a thing existed, or why it appeared...
So, I even wondered if it was a lie. Perhaps they suddenly wanted to believe in Demons, but lacked a plausible excuse, so they just made it up. With no physical form and no way to verify it, it seemed perfect for deceiving People.
‘But then... how did they get the information? That's hard to explain.’
This made my head feel a bit confused.
...
Of course, even as I listened to this explanation, the fighting continued. It was even nearing its climax.
The Leader, who had been holding out, had finally reached his limit. If things continued like this, he would likely soon be pierced by the Knights' swords.
Because of this, Livia's anxiety grew even more.
No matter who that person was, he was still Livia's Benefactor.
I briefly tried to put myself in her shoes.
I didn't really have anyone I'd call a Benefactor... but to have someone precious in danger right before your eyes, and be unable to do anything, is a profound helplessness.
If that person were to die in that situation... it would be remembered forever.
It was not the fact that the person died, but the fact that you couldn't do anything.
So, I sighed and said to her.
Well, if you want to help him, then help him.
She'd probably rush out anyway, even if I didn't stop her. While I couldn't openly save the enemy's Leader, I could pretend not to see her join the fight.
Livia, hearing my words, immediately tried to step forward.
But surprisingly, the restraint came from elsewhere.
Just stay put!
...
It was from Kyle himself. His voice literally echoed near us.
The sound wasn't very loud. It seemed he had used Magic to transmit his voice only to us.
Perhaps because of that, the Knights were still pressing him, despite Kyle's shout.
Livia fidgeted and replied at the sudden intervention from the man himself.
B-but, Master...
Even if you step forward now, you won't be able to turn the tide of battle. This was already something I was prepared for... Don't put yourself in danger any further.
...And you.
Kyle's eyes briefly turned towards me.
She's like a daughter to me. I saw earlier that you two seemed to have some connection... I hope you'll save that child.
It seemed he had caught a glimpse of me blocking the 4th Knight Commander earlier. Instead of answering, I looked at Livia.
Despite his firm plea, Livia still looked conflicted.
But that was only for a moment... In the end, she relaxed her fists and chose to observe.
It was as if respecting his wishes. Upon seeing this, it definitely seemed more like a Master-Disciple Relationship than a parent-child one.
Don't worry. I have no intention of fighting any longer...
With that final voice, Kyle opened his mouth.
I surrender, I surrender.
The Magic Staff he was holding slowly lowered. The Magic raging around them suddenly quieted.
“W-what?” “Is it a trap?”
At his sudden Declaration of Surrender, everyone was momentarily flustered. Not just the Extermination Squad, but even the Lemegeton members who had been fighting alongside him.
“M-Master!”
“Why!?”
“Look around, you fools. Too much blood has already been shed. I cannot sacrifice any more People in a battle we've already lost.”
Having said that, Kyle slumped to the ground, as if telling them to do as they pleased.
It was, in essence, a negotiation. As he said, the tide of battle had already turned decisively. Rather than continuing a pointless fight, he preferred to surrender and concede first.
Heh heh, what was so scary about the words written in that book that it led to all this...
First bowing to the Demons... and now surrendering...
He was, surprisingly, an old man who found it easy to bow his head.
Still, I must look after the Followers who have come all this way with me. You can do whatever you want with my life... but please, don't let any more Followers shed blood.
I decided to respect his wishes. It wouldn't have been easy to surrender for the sake of his subordinates, especially after coming this far.
Of course, it was uncertain whether he, as the enemy's Leader, would safely reach prison... but if he surrendered like this, I could at least advocate for him.
Livia, perhaps thinking this was better, let out a short sigh of relief.
“What are you doing? Everyone, lay down your weapons.” “...” “...Ugh.”
Though not very loud, Kyle's voice echoed throughout the entire Space. No matter what, when the highest-ranking person surrendered, his subordinates couldn't keep fighting. One by one, they all lowered their weapons with gloomy expressions.
The Extermination Squad, who had been momentarily bewildered, also began to relax, one by one, upon seeing this. At this rate, victory would be ours.
Seeing it about to end more smoothly than expected, I almost let a smile touch my lips.
But then.
...No, Old Man. You can't do that.
!
Thwack-!
Suddenly, a massive sword burst out from behind Kyle's back.
The chilling blade precisely pierced his heart. It was clearly a fatal wound.
One that could lead to death.
Startled, I looked behind Kyle. There stood Jurgen, covered in blood, with an expressionless face.
Surrendering after coming all this way? What are you trying to do? Do you think I followed you just to end up captured by those Knight bitches? Cough... gasp... Didn't you promise to show me a being of immense power if I followed you? A Superhuman so mighty that ordinary people wouldn't dare look upon them, one feared by all! ...Master!
Livia cried out in a piteous voice. Everyone was thrown into chaos by the sudden turn of events. I was no exception.
*“How?”*
I distinctly remembered that guy fighting against 1st Knight Commander Eve. Startled, I immediately looked in that direction.
There stood Eve, also covered in blood. She had no fatal wounds, but she looked extremely exhausted.
It seemed that he had heard the sudden News of Surrender in the middle of a Close Match and rushed to This Place. And he stabbed his Superior without hesitation.
Thud. Kyle's body collapsed weakly at the sudden ambush. His twitching form, despite being an enemy, looked pathetic.
Now I'm the Leader, aren't I?
Jurgen, pulling out his sword, muttered with a smirk. Then he called out to the surrounding Followers.
Everyone, pick up your weapons again! We'll go up to the Altar and resist until the very end! Any bastards who try to surrender to the enemy will die by my hand first!
Clack. At his words, the Followers, intimidated, picked up their weapons again.
Hoo...
The Extermination Squad also had no choice but to raise its guard once more.